Horizontal chamber or retort oven



Jan. 7, 1941. p VAN ACKEREN 2,228,130

HORIZONTAL CHAMBER OR HETORT OVEN Filed arch 18, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet lP. VAN ACKEREN 2,228,130

HORIZONTAL CHAMBER 0R RETORT OVEN Filed March 18, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 25 n w l x 7 M/ OZ AGO A 00 7,, M/l /H,// V/ Jan. 7, 1941.

Jan. 7, 1941. VAN CKEREN 2,228,130

HORIZONTAL CHAMBER 0R RETOR'IHOVEN Filed March 18, 1938 3 Shoets-Sheet 3i/W1 Wadi/04, g

Patented Jan. 7, 1941 UNITED STATES HORIZONTAL CHAMBER OR. RETORT OVENPaul van Ackeren, Essen, Germany, asslgnor,

mesne assignments, to Koppers Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation ofDelaware Application March 18, 1938, Serial No. 196,657

In Germany March 20, 1937 2 Claims.

retort ovens for the production of gas and coke and more particularly tothose coke ovens in which the coking chambers are essentially horizontalcoking chambers or coking retorts having regenerators arrangedunderneath the coking chambers or retorts for the preheating of thecombustion air and, if necessary, also for the preheating of the leanheating gas, and in which the rich heating as to be used for heatingpurposes, for instance coal distilling gas, cracking gas, natural gas orthe like, is led through vertical pipes coming from gas distributingmains which are arranged in accessible rooms underhealth theregenerators, said pipes communicating with the heating flues providedin the walls of the coking chambers or retorts.

Coke ovens of the above characterized design or construction are oftencalled Underjet coke ovens which expression will likewise be used by mein the following description in connection with which coke ovens mypresent invention is prefera'bly directed.

It is necessary to provide underjet coke ovens with regulating means,arranged in the gas pipes leading to the heating flues or groups ofheating flues, by means-of which the quantity of gas flowing to theindividual heating fines, or groups of heating lines, may be varied oradjusted to a certain degree. This is for instance useful in order toequalize the drop in temperature from the centre of the oven batterytowards the outer sides which drop in temperature results from thegreater heat transfer at the outer faces of the oven, since the coal orthe like charged into a coking chamber will carbonize insufllcientlynear the ends of the chamber or retort when a suitable correspondingregulation of the heat developed in each individual flue has not beeneffecte'd.

Coke oven gas and other gases which are used for preheating underjetcoke ovens are often rather dirty. Tarry constituents and certain othermatters contained in such gases, which tend to form gum-like deposits,easily accumulate in the gas mains. Due to such deposits, the freecrosssection of the regulating means arranged in the gas mains of undeijet coke ovens may, under certain conditions, be altered to such anextent that the gas distribution and thus the uniformity of the heatingare considerably aflected. It is, therefore, necessary to subject thesaid regulating devices of underjet coke ovens to a frequent cleaning.

Now, the main object of my present invention is to provide suchimprovements in the gas regulating devices for underjet coke ovens that,on the one hand, these regulating means allow an easy and exactadjustment and, on the other (Cl. 202-151) The present invention relatesto chamber or hand, a perfect cleaning which may be carried out in amost simple manner.

. The present invention principally consists in branching the gasconnecting lines leading to the various heating lines from the gasdistributing main arranged underneath the regenerators in the accessiblefoundation walks, substantially rectangulaniy at a certain point andfitting an exchangeable nozzle into the connecting line at said point,said nozzle being removable through a closable opening in the side ofthe connecting line and being arranged inside the pipe line in such amanner that the gas is compelled to flow through the nozzle.

,According to my present invention, there is arranged preferably across-shaped pipe fitting or casing in the said'connecting line. Thisfitting is provided with four openings of which, for example, twoadjoining openings are closed up by removable plugs, whilst pipe piecesleading to the heating flues and to the gas distributing main,respectively, are connected to the other two openings.

A pipe-piece provided with a port in a conical end and provided with anopening in the side is used advantageously, according to my presentinvention, as a nozzle. After inserting the nozzle pipe piece into thecross-shaped flttingor casing, the side opening lies in the direction'of one pipe connection, whereas the nozzle opening in the conical endterminates in the other pipe connection.

Another feature of my invention is the pro vision of precautions wherebyto prevent formation of deposits of carbon and other solid constituentsfrom the gases in the pipe lines leading to the heating dues or toremove those precipitations, if any.

The connecting lines leading from the gas d-istributing headers to theindividual heating fiues are heated to quite a high degree oftemperature on account of the heat transfer irom the regeneratorbrlckwork.' If a gas rich in hydrocarbons, for instance coaldistillation gas, is passed through the hot pipes, hydrocarbons willdecompose with the formation of elementary carbon which precipitateseasily in the form of carbon black or graphite on the walls of thepipes. In this way the pipes may be blocked-up after a comparativelyshort working period. In order to eliminate such dangerous deposits andaccumulations, it is usual to introduce air into the pipe during such anoperating period in which no heating gas flows through the pipe line.The air burns-off the deposits of carbon by which, however, the pipebody itself may be heated-up considerably. Whilst the carbon depositsare removed in this manner, the considerable heating-up of the pipe bodywhich, however, results therefrom, easily causes an increaseddecomposition of the heating gas during the following operating period.

My invention also provides means whereby a small amount of air iscontinuously introduced into the connecting pipe between the gas:distributing main and the heating flues, i. e. during both the operatingperiod when the heating gas flows through the pipe line and also duringthat working period when the delivery of heating gas is stopped.

By means of such a continuous admission of air, it is possible toprevent completely the undesired deposits in the connecting main inpractical operation. To give an explanation of this effect, I may saythat the air added to the gas causes a certain partial oxidation of theheavy hydrocarbons whereby lighter hydrocarbons are formed which arestill stable at the temperatures under consideration. The effect mayperhaps be similar to that met with in a so-called lBunsen-burner.

For carrying out this feature of my present invention, I provide anadjustable opening in the connecting main through which the desiredquantity of air may be sucked into the connecting main. Preferably, thisopening is arranged in the vertical pipe body which is in direct contactwith the vertical brickwork-channel leading to the heating flue.

Many other essential objects and features of my present invention aredescribed in the following description of a preferred embodiment and maybe apparent therefrom and from the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure 1 shows a vertical section through a horizontal chamber ovenbattery for the production of gas and coke built according to thepresent invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical section through a part through the regulatingdevice for combustion gas,

built according to the present invention and Figure 5 finally shows avertical section through the nozzle on line V--V of Figure 4.

The chamber that is to be charged with coal to be carbonized has beenmarked I in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. The chamber I is formed byrefractory brickwork. Vertical heating flues 2, 3 are arranged in theside walls of the chamber I. The heating fines 2, 3 are connected inpairs at the upper end by means of the openings 4.

The coking chambers I are provided with openings at the side which areclosed-up by doors 5. The roof of the chamber is fitted with closableopenings 6 through which the coal to be carbonized is charged into thechamber. The ascension pipe 8 is combined with the top opening I and thegases or vapours formed in the coking chamber may thus escape into thehydraulic main 9. The regenerators I0, II are arranged underneath thecoking chamber I. The brickwork of the oven chambers and regeneratorsrests upon the supports I2 in such a manner that accessible rooms I3 areformed underneath the oven building.

Horizontal channels I4, I5 are arranged between the regenerators and thechamber walls provided with heating flues. The channels I4, l5 areplaced on the same level. The channel I5 is connected with theregenerator IIi (see Figure '1) and the channel II is connected with theregenerator II Vertical channels from the regenerators l0. II and fromthe horizontal channels H, II lead to the heating flues.

Channels I6 combine the regenerator II with the heating flues 3.Similarly. also the horizontal channel I4 is connected with the heatingflues 3 on the other side of the oven by means of the channels II.

The regenerator I is connected with the heat. ing flues 2 through thechannels I8. The horizontal channel I is connected with the above lyingheating flue 2 through the channels I9.

The combustion air which for instance is pre heated in regenerator I0(see Figure 1) is distributed through the channels I8 to the heatingflues 2 situated above the regenerator I0 and through the channels I5and ducts I9 to the heating flues 2 lying in the other halt of the oven.The air together with the gas introduced is burned in the heating flues2. The hot waste gases flow upwards and enter the heating flues 3through the opening 4. From the heating flues 3 situated in the righthalf of the oven, the waste gases flow through the channels I'I into thehorizontal channel I and then enter the regenerator II. The heatingflues 3 situated inthe right half of the oven, that is those heatingflues 3 which practically are placed immediately above the regenerator II, are connected with the regenerator II by means of the channels I6.'The waste gases from all the heating flues 3 of one chamber walltherefore flow into the regenerator I I, where they transfer theiruseful heat to the refractory chequerwork.

As soon as the refractory chequerwork in the regenerator ID has beencooled-down, the direction of heating is reversed. Air is thenintroduced into the regenerators II, and the waste gases are led throughthe regenerators I0. When reversing the direction of heating, thesupplyof combustion gas likewise is changed-over. The supply ofcombustion gas to the heating flues 3 is therefore interrupted duringdelivery of the combustion gas to the heating flues 2.

As may be seen from Figure 2, a regenerator I0 and also a regenerator IIin line therewith is arranged underneath each of the coking chambers I,as well as one horizontal channel I4 and one horizontal channel I5. Theregenerators III are connected with the heating flues in the twoadjacent chamber heating walls by means of the channels I8. Analogously.the regenerators II and the horizontal channels ll, I5 are connectedwith the heating flues in two chamber heating walls each. Two channelsIE, or I1, or II or I9 terminate in every heating flue. This arrangementmakes it possible that the coking ovens may also be heated withgenerator gas or another lean gas which gas must, however, be preheatedin order to obtain the desired high temperatures for the coking process.

Collecting sole channels 2|, 2| have been provided at the bottom of theregenerators III, II. The regenerator flow reversal boxes 22, 23 areconnected with'these channels 20, 2|. The boxes are in contact with thewaste-gas channels 28, 29 by means of the branches 24, 25 which aregoverned by the valves 28, 21. The boxes are also fitted with air flaps30, 3|.

By operating the valves 26, 21 and the air flaps 30, 3| in a suitablemanner, the direction of flow of the heating gas may be determined.

In case the oven battery is to be .heated by lean gas, the boxes of halfof the regenerators have to be connected with a suitable gas line, whichhas, however, not been shown on the drawings.

For the introduction of rich gas, for instance coal distillation gas,into the heating flues 2, 3, the walls 32 between the regenerators areprovided with vertical channels 33. The channels 33 terminate in thefoundation rooms l3. Figure 3 shows that the channels 33 are fitted withpipes 34, the lower end 01 which extend into the foundation'rooms l3.The pipes 34 are connected by means oi! couplings 35 with the pipe 36 towhich is aiilxed a branching-piece 31. The branchingpiece 31 has at itsbottom an opening which is closed by a cap 36. A small hole 33 is to befound in this cap 38. To the lateral branch 40 of the branching piece 31is connected the pipe body 4| which leads to a cross-shaped casing 42,the detailed design 01 which may be seen from Figure 4.

Inside the cross-shaped fitting or casing 42 is an exchangeable nozzlepiece 43 which has at one side a conical end 44 in which is arranged thenozzle opening 45 of a definite cross-section. The end 01 the pipe 4|projects into the interior of the casing 42 and forms a seat 46 againstwhich rests, in a gas-tight manner, the conical end 44 of the nozzlepiece 43.

A closing stopper 41 which at the same time serves to press the nozzlepiece 43 against the rim 46 of the pipe 4| is inserted into an openingof the casing 42 opposite the pipe 4|.

The casing 42, in a plane perpendicular to the connecting openings forthe pipe 4| and the stopper 41, has two further openings. A stopper 43equipped on its under-side with a nose 43 is inserted into one of theseopenings. The nose 49 engages a groove 50 which is provided for thispurpose on the nozzle piece 43 (see Figure 5). By this means, the nomlepiece 43 is prevented from being rotated when the stopper 41 isscrewed-in.

The connecting branch 5| a plug cock 52 is screwed-into the openinglying opposite the stopper 46'. In the direction of the branch 6|, thenozzle piece 43 is fitted with an opening 53.

It the gas flows through the branch 6|, the medium may also pass throughthe opening 63 into the interior of the nozzle piece 43, thence throughthe nozzle opening 45 into the Pipe line 4|, irom where the gas flowsthrough the connectlng piece 31 and the pipes 36, 34 into the verticalbrickwork-channels 33.

Should it happen that the nozzle opening 45 is blocked-up, the nozzlepiece 43 can easily be removed from the casing 42. For this purpose,only the stopper 41 has to be taken out, whereupon the nozzle piece 43may be withdrawn by means of a hook inserted in the recess 64. Ifnecessary, also a stopper 65 fitted on the axis of the pipe 4| in theconnecting piece 31 may be loosened in order to push-out the nozzlePiece 43.

It is advisable to provide the outer side 66 or the nozzle piece 43 withmarks indicating the size of the nozzle opening 45, sothat nozzles withdifierent areas of openings 46 may be readily distinguished trom oneanother, and the size of the opening 46 already in place may bedetermined without removing the piece 43 in order to ascertain the same.

The stop-cock 62 is connected with a gas distributing line 61 which asmay be seen from F18- ure 1, extends over the whole length of the oven.

Figure 1 also shows that the vertical gas pipes 34 leading to theheating ilues 3 and heating lines 2 are coupled with two different gasdistributing mains 51. Thereby it is possible to provide specialstop-cocks 53 between the distributing mains 51 and the main gas line 58for each distributing main. It is, however, also possible to arrange tosupply all the heating gas from one single distributing main 51underneath each oven or each second or third oven.

The stop-plug of the cooks 52 is connected with an adjusting lever 60.The adjusting lever 60 for the stop cocks belonging to the heating fiues2 are connected with one another by a pulling device 62 and theadjusting levers for the stop-cocks belonging to the heating flues 3 areconnected with one another by a pulling device 6|. The pulling devices6| of an oven battery are suitably operated together in common unisonand in a similar manner also the pulling devices 62.

By a suitable manipulation of the pulling devices SI, 62 all the cooksbelonging to the heating flues 3 may for instance be opened and all thecocks belonging to the heating flues 2 may be closed. This occurs insuch a case when the combustion gas has to be delivered to the heatingflues 3, whilst the waste gases are to leave the heating flues 2. Thepulling devicesjl, 62 are to be operated reversely when the direction ofheating is to be changed-over.

Instead of inserting the cocks like 52, threeway cocks may be providedwhich are equipped in such a way that after stopping the gas supply, airis allowed to enter the branch from there it goes into the nozzle piece43, the pipe 4| and into the other parts of the gas delivery system inorder to bum-01f the carbon deposits. In this instance, the opening 39provided in the closing cap 33 may be omitted. If the closing cap 33 isalso unscrewed, the vertical pipes 36, 34 may easily be cleaned bymaking use of brushes or other suitable means.

The above description indicates clearly that all parts of the gasdelivery system are accessible so that any undesired deposits orprecipitations in the pipe lines may be done away with very easilywithout any difficulty.

I have now described in the above the present invention on the lines ofa preferred embodiment thereof but my invention is not limited in allits aspects to the mode of carrying it out as described and shown, sincethe invention may be variously embodied within the scope of thefollowing claims.

I claim:

1. In a rich-gas feed-means for the heating hues of coke ovens of theunderjet type, a gas main, a riser pipe for leading gas to the heatingflue, valve-controlled means for controlling the flow from the main tothe riser pipe, and an apertured member between the main and the riserpipe for introducing a definite quantity of air into the gas in theriser pipe during flow of gas thereto from the valve means, saidaperture being very small in comparison to the area of 6 the riser pipe,and being designed for being normally open for continuous infiltrationof air during both feed of fuel gas by, as well as during gas shut-oil?periods of idleness of, the riser pipe.

2. Feed means as claimed in claim 1 and in which the apertured membercomprises a perforated removable cap for the lower end of the riserpipe.

PAUL vm ACKEREN.

